Zojirushi BB-HAC10 Home Bakery 1-Pound-Loaf Programmable Mini Breadmaker
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List Price: Our Price: $183.99 You Save: $38.01 (17%) Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Buy Used: from $120.84 (click here) Category: Kitchen See more product details |
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Kitchen and Housewares Reviews of Zojirushi BB-HAC10 Home Bakery 1-Pound-Loaf Programmable Mini Breadmaker
Customer Review: How did I live with out this?
Summary: 5 Stars
Worring about the fact that my store bought bread had so many preservitives in it, that it stayed semi- fresh for 2 months, My husban and I decided to go the home made bread route... After careful research we choose this Zojirushi 1 lb machine. I NEVER bake bread soo I was concerned that this was gonna be a BIG ol expensive dust grabber... MUCH TO MY SURPRISE, I got the machine on Thrusday, watched the video ( fortunaly I still have a vcr, they do need to up date that) but went straight into the kitchen and MADE MY FIRST LOAF OF PERFECT BREAD ... This is such a NO BRAINER, that my husban came home and has made bread all weekend! You basically slop all your indgredients in the bakeing bowl (IMPORTANT: in the order the book say's to put them) lock the loaf pan in the machine and TA DA !!!! As little as 2 hours later you have Hot Fragrant Delicious Bread! I've already devieated from the recipies and made some artisan breads that I made up the recipies.... you can fudge on dry indgredients, except flour, ie more sugar than it calls for, more spices etc... Right now I have cranberry-raisin,nut bread raising.... I added an extra 1/2 c of nuts and cut the raisin and cranberry to 1/4 cup so I had the correct amount of dried fruit in the dough.
I can't say enought about the way this machine works, it is almost totaly silent, and the bread loaf pan is soooo heavy compared to other brands I have looked at. My one and only complain, and it's really weak, is I wish this had an auto dump on it so I didn't have to wait 19 mins to put in my extras. (Really Lazy huh??) But that also might increase the size of the machine, and this is an awesome size, It fits under my cabinets on my counter top and is easy to store away when (if that time ever comes) it isn't in use. Yet the loafs that come out are Big (1 lb loafs but so much bigger than I thought would come out of a machine this small!)
So if you want to just jump in and bake wonderful breads this is the product for you!
For size 5 stars
For ease of operation 5 stars
For ease of clean up 5 stars
For quality of breads 5 stars
For prep time to mix up the dough...5+++++ stars
Every one I know is getting a specialty bread for Christmas this year!!! Oops forgot to mention, my hubs is a french bread FANATIC... he made 2 loafs this weekend and they were soooo much better than I have ever bought in ANY BREAD STORE!!
I fiugred the cost of a white bread loaf, and it has less than .46 in it, so compared to store bought bread not only are we getting a better tasteing healthier bread but I'm saving over .58 cents (on a 2 lb store loaf) YAY Life is good
Customer Review: gr8 "lil" machine
Summary: 5 Stars
okay... i consider myself as the average consumer who goes thru the proper process prior to making any purchases, "reading reviews". since this is my first bread machine, i don't have another machine to compare this unit to. what i have noticed, is, a lot of the "negative" reviews on this particular machine seem to be user error (stale ingredients, lack of info as to what this machine is capable of (programming), etc)). this particular machine is plain and simple. one particular step the additional cookbook i purchased advises, is that each ingredient (salt, sugar, etc) be placed in their separate corners. i didn't notice the pamphlet stating this. my particular unit is free from any mentioned defects. i wanted a "small" unit because i am only one person. this "lil" machine IS gr8... sits tucked away nicely on countertop. makes a "1 lb loaf" (small/half loaf) of bread (gr8 for 1-4 people to consume in one sitting/setting, or thruout the day). any leftovers, i place in a baggie and put in fridge. reheat in toaster oven. also, can perform a multitude of various other items with ease (homemade pizza dough, cookie dough, english muffin dough, pasta, jams, cakes, etc), as well. i've tried a few recipes that came w/ the machine which turned out alright, buut, i also purchased "the ultimate bread machine cookbook" by jennie shapter (pls read reviews). there are many wonderful recipes that i plan on trying. the recipe book includes recipes for "small", medium and large bread machines for recipes that are made in the unit. it also includes recipes to prepare dough in machine, then finalized in your oven. if you are interested in a true sourdough recipe, the book has a long drawn out recipe for "sourdough" bread, and also one to be made in the bread machine (which i will try next). i was concerned about the quantity/amount of ingredients suggested by the cookbook (not sure if they would fit in the pan), which were different from the pamphlet that came w/ the machine, but everything turned out well, if not better. i made focaccia dough the other day from the recipe book and turned out wonderful. i use this machine to make my fresh pizza dough (i use "king arthur" bread flour (a must) and stoned ground wheat flour. the dough is superb). i can honestly say this bread machine has met all my expectations. i am extremely happy. in my opinion, this particular machine should not rate lower than five stars in "performance". before leaving negative reviews concerning this machine, pls leave comments/questions and i will get back to you..
thanks
lori
Customer Review: Handy item, clear instructions
Summary: 5 Stars
I purchased this bread machine as a Christmas gift for my recently married son, because of it's small "footprint", and because of the high ratings it has gotten. I was not previously familiar with this brand. My own 10 year old Oster machine, still available, less than half the price of this one (yet bigger and not as highly rated) so it will be interesting to compare the finished product of the two machines. It will be a nice surprise for them on Christmas morning, and probably nearly every day with a fresh loaf of bread; fresh, easy complex carbs for my athlete (cycalist) son. I've also read that it making bread in a bread machine, pays for itself and saves money over time compared to store-bought bread.
Included is a 35-page 8 X 12 instruction book/cookbook with clear and ample and drawings which thoroughly explain the process. There are also photos of the breads on every two pages and variations of the basic one. However, I was surprised to find an instructional VIDEO TAPE in the box. VHS? But I wrote to the company asking for a DVD copy of it, and sent the DVD right away. You don't really need it, though; it is supplementary. I also think that the cookbook/instruction book should be printed and bound in a more sturdy fashion--a smaller size, with a stiff cover instead of paper one. I think this one will get bent and dirty in no time. So, I recommend making photocopies of the pages of the book to use and save the original.
Regarding the recipes, first we have "Basic Bread--Regular Variation", followed by "Firm Variations", then "Soft Course Variations", "Quick Baking Variations", French Bread, doughnuts, rolls, and even cookies, pastas, cake and jam. Among the "Variations" are granola, pumpernickel, and CHOCOLATE bread (ummm, yummy anti-oxidants!) There are walnut, banana, and cheese breads. There's gluten free, fat free and sugar free. But instead of sugar, the recipe calls for FRUCTOSE, which is worse than sugar! How about honey? Sucralose? Zylitol?
All-in-all I give this bread machine five stars for clarity of instruction, versatility of function, and general handiness. BTW, it has a good handle on the top, so it can be easily moved and stored away. Now I have made myself hungry, but I'm going to go ahead and wrap it anyway, but will expect to try some Zorijurshi bread and report on it later!
Enjoy!
Customer Review: WOW!
Summary: 5 Stars
My little machine arrived this past Friday @ 2:00 p.m. By 2:10 p.m. my lst. loaf was baking away, and several hours later, voila!..a great little loaf, perfect size for a small family, perfect everything.
I have two of the large Zo's so I have been using ABM's for about 10 years. These are great, but they bake a big loaf with a lot of waste of ingreds./bread for my family, which is smaller now.
Re. difficulty in removing the paddle after the loaf has been removed...in my big Zo's I gently take the dough out, remove the paddles which are not kneaded (sorry) once the bread has finished rising, and I place the dough back into the pan for the final process of baking.
I have not tried this with the Little Zo, but I probably will, although the one (big Zo's have two paddles) little paddle only leaves a small indentation.
Note: if you try this, be very gentle with the dough. Open the cover,lift the dough up gently from the bottom using both hands, remove the little paddle, and keep the dough out of the pan for the shortest time possible. It should take you less than a minute to complete. Also, keep drafts away from the dough during the process.
This can only be done after the last rise, just as the machine screen indicates that it is shifting to baking.
I have a lot of two pound recipes I have come up with over the years for my big Zo's which I will be adapting for the little Zo (no, you can't simply half them). I have found a web site that claims it has a conversion table for this.
One more thing, it can make a difference in how the final product comes out, in where you place the machine when it is in use. My lst. loaf was in the kitchen where one of the central air vents was in the vicinity and cooling away. The size of the finished product was good, but I knew it should have been better.
For the next loaf I simply moved the machine to a galley off the kitchen where there is no vent. The 2nd. loaf was perfect with great rise.
I also love that the little Zo has a handle and is very easy to move & store. The big Zo's weigh 20 pounds and can't be easily moved.
This fun, top quality, worth ever dollar, little Zo gets a huge thumbs up from this ABM baker.
Bon Appetit~
Customer Review: I love it...but...
Summary: 4 Stars
We got this mini breadmaker for Christmas to replace an old Sunbeam that was too large to leave on the counter and made a loaf that was too big for my husband and me; it had not been used in several years.
The first four loaves I made with this breamaker could have been used for doorstops. However, with a few changes, I am now making excellent bread on a routine basis. The loaves are just the right size for bread for dinner, then toast the next morning or a lunch sandwich. The bread machine takes up very little counter space, and stays out all the time.
The changes? Two of them...
First, I got the new "Bread Machine Magic" recipe book, giving up on the recipes that originally came with the breadmaker. However, those original recipes might work well too, with the addition of a half teaspoon more yeast, and the procedure below.
The second and real trick is to check the dough texture when it has been kneading for a few minutes. The loaf is small, so that even a bit too much flour or liquid can dramatically alter the finished product. If the dough forms a smooth ball, tacky on the outside, with no wet dough at the base of the ball, then the bread will rise well and not collapse.
However, the bread machine has a twenty minute rest cycle before it starts to mix and knead, so that I cannot so far a) dump in the ingredients, b) go away, and c) come back to a consistently good loaf of bread. And I would like to do that - that's why I wanted a breadmaker in the first place. Instead I have to check the dough a half hour into the cycle and add flour or liquid as necesssary. Perhaps as I standardize ingredients and measuring techniques I'll do better!
It would be nice to be able to program the machine to mix a bit before the rest cycle. We would like to be able to program it for just one rise cycle as well - our daughter needs to be gluten free, and we can't make her gluten free bread in this machine.
The lack of programmability, and the learning curve that I needed to make good bread is why this breadmaker only gets four stars, even though it is well made and makes good bread.